Sheep in Wolf's Clothing
by Suzaku-chan
Summary: How a young genius became friends with a half-elf and their adventures. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_Sheep in Wolf's Clothing Chapter One_

_S__**heep in Wolf's Clothing**_

_Chapter One_

Aster stared at the ceiling fan as it circulated the air in his room. He was tired and hungry from the day's earlier events. Living in the Sybak Research Academy was exhilarating as well as exhausting. There was always something new to learn and some field studies to execute and the other researchers were very kind to him even if he was only twelve-years-old, having entered the academy at the age of nine. Yet he still found time to be both bored and curious. There were a few places he was prohibited to venture and he wanted to know why.

The basement of the academy was one such place. The first time he set foot in the academy he was _ordered_ not to go near the basement unless given permission _and_ accompanied by either one of the research heads or the director. That had definitely put checking out the basement on the top of his soon-to-do list. Just _what_ could be down there that the researchers didn't want him to see?

As if pushed by and invisible spring he sat up, his mind whirring with ideas. Most of the research teams were away for the day on field studies. This was his chance to see what was being hidden in the basement and he wouldn't sit idly and let this opportunity go to waste. Quickly, he moved from his bed to the coat hanger and grabbed his lab coat. This was, after all, a vital research prospect.

He quietly crept out of his room on the second floor and down to the first floor, being careful not to attract attention from any of the remaining scientists. After ten terrifying minutes of close-calls and the fear of being caught, Aster came to the last door of his quest. Behind it must have been the basement because everyone, he noticed, did everything they could to avoid being around this door. In nervous anticipation, he slowly opened the door.

When Aster finally got the door open enough to slip through his expression became a cross between confusion and disappointment. _"I thought this was the basement since no one wanted to come here but…"_ the young blonde thought as he examined his surroundings, _"… this is just another stupid hallway."_ It was a hallway that was identical to all the others in the large building, although he knew better than to assume that, being the genius scientist that he is.

After ten minutes of carefully inspecting the hallway and the rooms within it, he came to a dark staircase that seemed to have come straight from the Meltokio dungeons. _"The basement has to be down there!"_ His search for the basement was finally starting to prove fruitful.

Aster descended the medieval staircase as quietly as he could so that any echoes he created would not carry to the upper levels or the ears of the other researchers. _"This stairwell is so dark… I wonder if they keep it like this on purpose." _His brain began to create scenarios and situations for the reasons why they didn't want him down here, and why they kept it so dark. _"Perhaps they are keeping some sort of nocturnal monster… one along the lines of a Vroom or Archdemon, or maybe they are creating… no, researching a new summon spirit like Shadow. There seems to be an innumerable amount of possibilities to what could be down here."_

In the midst of his deep-thinking he failed to notice the door coming up in front of him and ended up walking right into it, resulting in a rather loud _THWOMP_!

"Ow…" He rubbed the large red mark on his forehead, small tears coming to his eyes from the pain of his own idiocy and, of course, the huge wooden door he rammed his head into. Looking up the ominous staircase he said to no one in particular, "I hope nobody heard that. It would be a lot of trouble if I were to be discovered down here." He then looked toward the aforementioned door. "Guess I should check it out seeing as I've come this far."

He brushed the dirt of his coat as he arose, and raised a small pale hand to the handle of what was most likely the basement door. Of course it was scary but it was also thrilling, not unlike a really good horror movie. He licked his suddenly dry lips and pulled the heavy door open.

The room was dark inside as well, but was dimly lit by the eerie glow of the research experiment technology. He languidly advanced through threshold in an attempt to let his eyes adjust to the poor lighting before he proceeded. While his eyes were adjusting, he heard a hurried shuffle across the stone floor.

"Hello?" Listening for any kind of reply all he got was silence. "I'm not gonna hurt you… I just wanna know what's down here." He groped the wall as he moved around the room when he ran into something hard and tall. "Ouch…" That's when he found out what was in the basement of the research academy.

"What do _you_ want?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Sheep in Wolf's Clothing Chapter Two_

_Chapter Two_

"What do _you_ want?" The voice was deep and powerful and it definitely scared Aster down to the bone but he wouldn't let that stop him.

"I _want_ to know what's down here! And come into the poor lighting so I can at least see what you look like!"

The figure belonging to the voice seemed taken aback by Aster's sudden outburst, but it eventually did as the blonde said, although a bit reluctantly. "Happy now?" the figure said in a tone that would suggest apathy and annoyance.

Aster tilted his head and looked over the large figure. It was a male. Tall with long red hair that was plain to see even with the lack of proper lighting and vibrant spring green eyes that seemed as though they could literally shoot daggers. Sharp, invisible, beautiful, deadly daggers. Although he was wearing glasses, it didn't seem to dull the fury and rage that hid within the man's eyes. "Wow, you're tall!" He felt the man's arms and chest which earned the young scientist a puzzled and annoyed stare. "And you're strong too! Hmm… the way you stand leads me to believe you are defensive about my presence and you have great balance."

Said man just watched curiously as Aster stood up on his tip-toes to examine his face. "Your facial features and defined and your skin is smooth… would be called handsome… in this light your complexion seems to be a modest shade of bronze but may be lighter-"

"You're one of the researchers aren't you?" The sudden speech startled the blonde and caused him to fall to his butt. "A bit young though… I assume you're the prodigy we've heard so much about?"

"W-well yeah. We?"

"Me and the other half-elves…" he looked off into one of the dark corners of the room, and if Aster wasn't mistaken, he could swear the man looked almost… sad.

"You're a half-elf?"

"I just said that didn't I?" His tone and expression became angry. "Why don't you just go back up to the academy and play scientist like every other human? I need to get back to my research."

"No need to be snippy. And I don't _play_ scientist, I _am_ one. So what's your name?"

"I don't see how that matters."

"I want to know your name. I'm researching the basement. Mine is Aster by the way."

"I see."

"…"

"…"

"… So what's your name?" Aster screamed.

"I told you it doesn't matter."

"Fine."

"…"

"…So how old are you?"

"I don't feel like telling you." The half-elf flipped his hair with a gloved hand then pushed up the glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose.

"AHH! WHY ARE YOU BEING SO DIFFICULT!" Aster pulled at his hair to emphasize his frustration.

"I'm not. You just don't need to know any of that."

The young teen stood with his mouth agape. "Yes it… how could... what… you're so…!"

"Just go back upstairs so I can continue working."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!" Aster swung a fist at him, but the half-elf easily evaded it. As a result, Aster tripped and landed in a pile of old research crap in the corner, sending a mountain of stuff tumbling from the top onto his head. "Ahh!"

The half-elf hurried over to the blonde boy to assess the damage. "Pfft…. Hahahahaha!"

"What? Why are you laughing?"

The red-haired man picked up a mirror from another pile and put it front of Aster. One look at his reflection sent him erupting into laughter. Someone had set monster saliva and slime samples on top of the pile of junk which had spilled all over Aster when he knocked everything over. "O-okay… you're... you're right!" he chortled. "I look hiliarious!"

"Shouldn't you be going to bed soon?" asked the redhead as he helped Aster clean off the slime.

"Why, what time is it?" he glanced at the digital clock near the door which read: 11:47p.m. "Oh _crap_! I didn't know it was already that late!" he quickly made his way to the door.

When Aster was nearly out the door, the half-elf called, "Richter. That's my name. I'm eighteen-years-old."

"O-oh… Thank you! I'll see you later Richter!"

"Okay." Richter turned to go to the bedroom he shared with the other half-elves when he heard one of the worst sounds to ever enter his ears. The heavy footsteps of the other researchers. He raced to the doors as fast as he could. "Aster wait-!" But it was too late. Said boy was staring, wide-eyed, at a group of researchers and the assistant director of the academy.

"Uggh… why is the half-elf out?" said a rather portly male scientist.

"And _**why**_ is he talking to a human like an equal?" screeched a thin, saggy, and snooty old female.

"Aster!" bellowed the assistant director, "Why are you down here?"

"I wanted to know… sorry. My curiosity got the better or me… and why are you keeping half-elves down here like slaves?"

"Because they are evil and inferior."

Aster saw the rage flare up in Richter's eyes. He look as if he was about to let loose like a primeval monster. "That's rude! They are people just like us!"

"Not another word! Not unless you would like to be expelled from the academy."

Aster was about to protest when Richter laid a hand on his shoulder. "Just go. I'm used to it."

"Fine…" Aster started up the stairs but stopped to look back at Richter. The rage had not left his eyes, in fact, it seemed to have grown. When their eyes met Richter mouthed _"go"_ and Aster did as he was told. After all, Richter knew what he was doing… didn't he?

Just as Aster was about to shut the door at the end of the hallway he heard, "I guess you'll need some punishment now." He wanted to turn back but remembering Richter's words, he ran back to his room. But he would no doubt one day return to the basement to see his new half-elf friend.

* * *

><p>Suzaku-chan: I am soooooo sorry this is so short!<p>

**Minoru: Pfft... **

Suzaku-chan: *Shoots nasty glare at counterpart* It was a sudden inspiration and I needed to get it out.

**Minoru: I'm surprised it didn't go down on paper first. Well... this one is still suckish.**

Suzaku-chan: OAO WHAT? I worked hard on it!

**Minoru: Sure ya did.**

Suzaku-chan: Well, I'm working hard on new longer chapters. So please R&R!

**Minoru: She forgot to add that new chapters of It's Hard To Hide With A Father Like That will be coming out soon. (She's so stupid). Oh... and she is sorry for the huge time gap of about one year in that story. Now I bid you adieu.**


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